I think that one thing that is getting overlooked is that even ferret
specialist vets DO contact other specialists for consultation.  That
has been no less true for special dietary needs for our ferrets than it
has been for heart problems.  Instead of assuming that they have a full
picture they pick up the phone and give someone with a doctorate in
veterinary nutrition a call when they need to -- folks like Tom W.  at
Performance Foods, or one who used to be at Tomlyn whose name escaped me
that one of our vets used, or... I've noticed that the better the vet
the more willing the vet is to seek other opinions and consultations when
things get specialized, rather than assuming that he or she has a full
picture.  If a vet acts like her or she thinks that he or she is a
demi-god then I RUN -- FAST -- in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION... (Lucky, not
many do, and ditto on both points for physicians and dentists, or other
health professionals.)
 
>I'm from the day's of Meow Mix and Raisons, yes I am.  I owned ferrets
>back in the seventies and eighties.  We fed Meow Mix and gave them what
>ever they wanted for little treats..
>...My ferrets through the years never got insolinoma, adrenal, or
>anything like that.
 
Yep.  Those are common statements from back then.  My own personal
inclination (Note that this is a qualifying word not an "I say so.") is
to think (qualifier) that genetics and infectious illnesses are larger
factors, though it is always possible (qualifier) that the genetics that
became more represented when fancies became common in breeding stock have
an unusual level of sensitivity to things like sugars and carbohydrates.
It's a very complicated puzzle and NOT one that is easily solved; I
suspect that there are several doctorate level projects involved in the
assorted premises that have been discussed recently.  NOT things for
which rigorous proofs are easily come by, not on a bachelor's level, a
master's level, or a doctoral level, and we're been almost totally
discussing this among people who don't have advanced degrees or hte
experience of knowing how to present rigorous proofs yet (with Linda
as an exception and most likely some exceptions I don't know about).
 
>I would much rather see people express their opinions instead of making
>the FML their personal boxing match.
 
Bingo!  Me, too.  I'd also like to NOT see folks made to feel guilty on
the basis of hypotheses.  That really feels unkind to me.  I figure that
folks can read all the parts of information, then make informed choices,
and if they happen to be different from someone else's while there still
is not PROOF that the approach is a KNOWN problem then there is no reason
to cause anyone guilt trips.  I figure it's fine to come out more
strongly when a known risk is mentioned, though.
 
>If you disagree email the person privately and then when you feel you
>have a resolution, post it then.
 
Have to say that I don't agree with you there, though I can understand
some reasons why you may feel that way.  A lot of useful pieces of info
come to all from discussions, but there is NO reason for such discussions
to devolve to insults, preaching, pressuring, etc.  People CAN agree to
disagree and share data without any problems between them at all, while
waiting for the future time when we all have some firm answers.
 
>Fire away , I don't care , you already badgered me, I was just waiting
>for my turn :-P
 
Actually, I don't even KNOW you!  WHY do you think that I am badgering
you?  Did I copy an FML reply of mine on something you addresses to you?
I often (but not always) do that as a courtesy to someone when I am
replying.  As to your questions, I answered those on my own very recently
so just read my posts from either Thursday or Friday which can be found
just using the FML server "GET nnnn" function to bring up the digests.
If you find my general statement to be badgering or targeted then I am
sorry that you are reading them differently than they were meant.  You
quoted a general statement in a general post, NOT something that was
addressed specifically to any one person.
 
There are actually two reasons I am asking.  One is because I am curious.
The second (which folks who have been here a long time know) is that
there is someone at a different address who sometimes pretends to be me.
That copy-cat has been going on for a long time but as far as I know
hasn't shown up for a year or so.  If you have some letters like that
could you, please, send them to me complete with headers because we are
trying to trace the person so that I can bring charges.  The copy cat
began with friendly things years ago -- building a very false and
apparently to that person idealic life around me (which was of a type
I would NOT want).  Told people that my hubby is an MD, that we live in
a big house (in Canada), etc., but actually, none of that is correct!
In the last couple of years the person has become abusive toward others
at times -- appears and then disappears.  I am very serious about wanting
to press charges ever since the person got nasty.  It was unpleasant
before then but at least it wasn't harmful.  BTW, I am NOT the only
ferret person who has had someone pretend to be her or him!
 
And, no, I really do NOT attach much emotional weight to hypotheses;
was trained not to do so... That is not the same as my depth of caring
for ferrets.  I would not donate tens of hours every week, usually 7 days
a week to ferret charities and help services if i didn't care deeply
about them.
 
>[Moderator's note: Hey, badgers are Mustelidae, just like ferrets!...
 
LOL!
 
Partly Latin Name: Nemo-not.  "Nemo" means  "nobody" so I have long
thought that it work for an abused rescue.
[Posted in FML issue 3947]